A $30 million project intended to ease Ford Road traffic congestion in Canton has been dealt yet another blow as federal officials snubbed for the ninth time a funding request tied to job creation and economic recovery.

Canton was passed over as the U.S. Department of Transportation this month announced $500 million for 41 road, transit, maritime and rail projects across the nation. The money comes from the federal TIGER program, or Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery.

"Obviously, we're saddened by not getting the grant again this year," township Supervisor Pat Williams said, "but that is not going to deter us."

"It's very frustrating," township Trustee John Anthony said. "I don't think you could ask for a situation that requires money more than Ford Road does. Why we didn't get it is a puzzle to everybody here in Canton."

In the latest TIGER proposal, Municipal Services Director Tim Faas said Canton had asked for $12 million in federal dollars. If approved, Canton and the Michigan Department of Transportation had agreed to pay the remaining $18 million tab, with Canton's portion being about $8 million.

The only Michigan project chosen this year for TIGER money involves efforts to resurface and improve safety along a 4.5-mile stretch of North Holly Road in Oakland County. The project is getting $3 million and includes cutting hills to improve sight distance, raising the road in flood zones and making improvements to potentially dangerous curves.

Faas plans to meet in coming days with officials from MDOT and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to discuss possible steps moving forward.

In Canton, a study by MDOT has indicated the best way to ease traffic congestion along one of Michigan's most crash-prone roads involves converting Ford Road into a boulevard. The plan involves separating opposing lanes of traffic with a median, eliminating left turns at major intersections and creating boulevard-style turnaround lanes — measures MDOT says would reduce traffic bottlenecks.

"We are passionate about the Ford Road project and reducing the number of crashes," Williams said.

The problem, as is true for many Michigan road projects, is funding.

While MDOT has identified the Ford Road project as a long-range fix, Faas said MDOT officials haven't listed the project in the latest five-year plan.

"They've identified it as a priority," he said, "but it is a priority that is currently not funded."

Under the plan, Ford Road would become a boulevard from the I-275 interchange west to nearly Canton Center.

Township Treasurer Dian Slavens said Canton officials need to try to determine what communities like Holly brought to the table that Canton didn't.

"We're just going to have to try to find some type of revenue, whether it's through the state or whatever," she said. "We're not going to give up. We'll keep trying."

Anthony commended Williams for carrying the TIGER-seeking torch of his predecessor, former Supervisor Phil LaJoy, who lobbied extensively for the project including travels to Washington, D.C.

Federal officials did indicate that 64 percent of this year's TIGER grants went to rural projects, in a move to support rural communities. That reflected a funding high for rural communities, with U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao saying the money "will increase safety, create jobs and modernize our country’s infrastructure."

Local officials have long speculated that TIGER grants, intended to help communities recover from the Great Recession, could soon end, though Faas said there has been no definitive word.

Some efforts to ease Ford Road traffic problems already have been implemented. Those involved paving a continuous third lane on westbound Ford, from Lotz to Lilley, lengthening turn lanes near the I-275/Ford interchange and paving the one-mile stretch of Lotz between Ford and Cherry Hill. MDOT also installed sidewalks near the interchange to improve pedestrian safety.

While local officials are frustrated that funding for the boulevard plan has been elusive, they haven't stopped trying. Moreover, a new Canton Roads Task Force in April is expected to issue some recommendations on the scope of Canton road problems and possible ways to address them.

"We're not going to give up, that's for sure," Anthony said.

Contact Darrell Clem at dclem@hometownlife.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CantonObserver.